March 9 2026 - Cape of Good Hope Adventure: Hidden Gems & Local Culture

March 10 2026 - Amazing Airbnb in South Africa

Location: South Africa Summary: Today I had to leave the Hidden Gem as they were fully booked for the night, but I needed to stay in the area for tomorrow's activities on the 11th. I got lucky and found the Marigold Airbnb, a fantastic self-catering place for 1,100 rand - really reasonable for what they offer. It's an apartment behind a house where the owners Agata and Emmanuel live. The place is incredible with a swimming pool I can use, all modern conveniences, and smart home features where I can ask Google to control the lights. The owner is an IT person who designed everything to be low maintenance, even using artificial grass. I was fortunate someone didn't show up the night before, so I could check in early. Having good internet connection is essential for catching up on work that requires me to be stationary. It's interesting reflecting on how I traveled through Africa 45 years ago without internet - life was less complicated then, though modern electronics definitely have their benefits. I visited Lovers Market, an impressive grocery store that's even more developed than most US stores, and grabbed some pre-cooked food so I can stay in and focus on preparing for tomorrow's plans.

March 9 2026 - Cape of Good Hope Adventure: Hidden Gems & Local Culture

Location: South Africa Summary: What an incredible day I had on March 9th! I started my morning with an inspiring conversation with an 80-year-old German couple who have visited southern Africa 18 times. The gentleman's words really stuck with me - he said at 80, he doesn't want to just sit around at home and shrivel away. He wants to keep traveling and exploring because it's working for him. That mindset is truly inspiring. My first task was picking up my new business passport from the Dutch consulate, which felt amazing because it meant I could travel freely again. Then I headed to the Cape of Good Hope, which I learned isn't actually the most southern part of Africa - that's Cape Agulhas further east. The Cape of Good Hope is the most southwesterly point. The drive was beautiful, spotting baboons and other wildlife along the way. At the park entrance, there was quite a long line since you have to pay to access the final section. Once inside, I faced the choice of walking up to the lighthouse or taking the unique single-track tram system where two trams coordinate to pass each other at a middle section. I chose the tram up and walked down. It was windy at the top, and unfortunately, I could only get within 15 feet of the lighthouse due to a medical emergency that required helicopter evacuation. Despite this, exploring the area was wonderful, though definitely touristy. I discovered some fantastic surfing spots nearby where people were kite surfing and windsurfing. The drive along the eastern coast of the peninsula was slow due to traffic from other tourists doing the same route. I ended the day at Hidden Gem Bed and Breakfast in eastern Cape Town, run by an enthusiastic lady. She recommended Rio Grande restaurant, where I had dinner and met a lovely family watching rugby. The father and son team installs garage doors together, and their son plays rugby. These genuine connections with locals made the entire day special and complete.

March 8 2026 - Cheetah Safari & Wine Tasting in Cape Town

Location: South Africa Summary: March 8th was what I called 'Make It Count' day - the last day with my travel companions Ron and Chris before they departed. We started at Cheetah Outreach, a fantastic wildlife sanctuary where you can see hand-raised cheetahs and other animals up close. It's open daily and located at the Heartlands Pardonfly property. You can visit during regular hours or book special appointments for more intimate experiences with the animals. We met a fellow traveler from Seattle there - always fun connecting with people from home! Next, we headed to the incredible Lawrenceford Estate in Somerset West for wine tasting. This place is massive and offers so much more than just wine - there's a car and motorbike museum, high-end restaurant, coffee roastery, art gallery, outdoor market, beautiful gardens, and they even host concerts and bicycle races. You could easily spend an entire day there. After dinner, I dropped Ron and Chris off at Cape Town airport for their journey home. Cape Town airport is straightforward and easy to navigate. On my way back to Sommer Place where I'm staying, I took a wrong turn in the dark but ended up getting a beautiful nighttime tour of Cape Town with all the city lights. It's been an incredible three weeks having company - first Jan for two weeks, then Ron and Chris. I'm so grateful they traveled so far to spend time with me. Now I need to recoup and figure out my next steps.

March 7 2026 - Road to Cape Town

Location: South Africa Summary: What an incredible day on March 7th during my epic road trip from the Netherlands to South Africa! After a disappointing bed and breakfast experience with no actual breakfast, I discovered the amazing Diesel and Cram restaurant next to Karoo Moon Motel. This 12-year-old gem serves delicious breakfast in an atmosphere filled with antique signs and furniture - what a find! I continued my journey, stopping at one of those fantastic Mule bakeries that I've grown to love (there are about 14-15 throughout the country). The drive took me through the spectacular Du Teutschkloof mountain tunnel, which stretches for several kilometers - absolutely amazing! As we approached Cape Town, Rona and Chris had wisely arranged accommodation in advance since it was the weekend. We stayed at Somer Place in Westridge, a perfect Airbnb setup with two rooms and a swimming pool that Chris thoroughly enjoyed. For dinner, we ventured to Muizenberg for Mexican food, driving through beautiful dunes right along the water - I'm always drawn to coastal areas! Whenever I get the chance, I love sharing with locals that I drove this car all the way from the Netherlands to South Africa. Most people are incredulous and can't quite picture how it's possible, but I hope it inspires them to think outside the box and pursue their dreams. Tomorrow will be Ron and Chris's last day before flying out.

March 6 2026 - Safari Camp to Barrydale

Location: South Africa Summary: I started March 6th waking up at the safari camp where I enjoyed a delicious early breakfast while Ron and Chris went on the morning safari. After leaving the camp and spotting more antelope on our way out, we hit the road toward Barrydale. Our first stop was at an Ostrich Show Farm, which was absolutely fascinating. I learned that these farms need specific conditions for ostriches to thrive, and many have thousands of birds for meat export and leather production. The ostriches come from various parts of Africa and may have originally come from Asia. Despite the warm weather, I was enjoying every moment. Finding accommodation in Barrydale proved challenging with several places being fully booked or overpriced, but we eventually settled at a place called Doorways. It was set back on a long, tight driveway that required some reversing, but it was affordable and worked for us. I had an interesting conversation with the owner's husband in the morning - a retired physician who had spent three years practicing medicine in Doha, Qatar. For dinner, we visited a tapas restaurant recommended by our hosts. It was the only place in town that offered something different from the typical burgers, chips, and fish and chips. The small portions were perfect and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.